It’s 6 p.m. on a Friday. Your 3-year-old has a 102°F fever, a runny nose, and a slight cough. Do you load up the whole family and head to urgent care, or wait out the weekend and hope you can get in Monday with your regular provider?

Or maybe you have diabetes, your blood sugars are fluctuating more than usual, and your follow-up appointment isn’t for another two months. Should you really wait that long to talk about it?

Or you have blood drawn and are told you have abnormal results that need a follow-up conversation with your primary care provider. That used to mean more time off work and another trip to a waiting room full of sick people.

We hear scenarios like these in our practice every week — and they are exactly what virtual visits are for.

What is a virtual visit?

A virtual visit is a real appointment with one of our providers over secure video, from your tablet, computer, or smartphone. Skip the waiting room. Ditch the drive. For many everyday concerns we can evaluate, advise, and even prescribe without you leaving home.

Virtual visits work well for things like:

• After-hours questions and illness
• Seasonal allergies
• Pink eye
• Urinary tract infections
• Rashes
• Diabetes management
• Blood pressure management
• Medication refills
• Abnormal lab follow-up
• Depression and anxiety

How to schedule one

Everything you need is on our Virtual Visits page — including how to book during office hours and what to do after hours. Or just call us at (417) 332-3639 and we’ll get you set up.

Many insurance plans cover virtual visits much like in-person care, and our self-pay rates apply if yours doesn’t — see Insurance & Billing or ask when you call.

Virtual care has come a long way since we first offered it in 2017, and it remains one of the easiest ways to stay connected to your care team.

Carolyn Clark, NP-C